How to disable updates on a Galaxy S4

[TKinVA]

Is there a way to disable or turn off the Verizon updates to a Galaxy S4?

After the last big update, I had to do a factory reset and rebuild the phone from scratch.

[bearone21 · Accepted solution]

no but you can hold off on the upgrade for a while. don't check upgrade status in settings/about phone.

[vzw_customer_support]

TKinVA,

That's a good question, it's important to be aware of what you can do with your phone. Software updates are released by the manufacturer and developers to enhance the functions of the phone. There's not an option to disable them as they are required.

AdaS_VZW
Follow us on Twitter at @VZWSupport 

[darin_1701]

how do i disable the update? why do you force the update on us? the phone is not broken, so there is no need to update. it is fine as it is...

[jrh4054]

darin.1701, as another contributor said, you can't disable system updates.  You can delay their download and installation.  I have been doing that daily with the NG6 update that caused so many users all kinds of problems.  There may come a time when I can no longer delay the update.  Thankfully, that hasn't happened yet.

[Klue]

Best way to achieve a problem free update is to make sure you phone is super clean before the update downloads. Remove any unused apps, clear the phones cache, and turn on any apps that have been turned off.  You can turn off those apps later after the update. Make sure all the data on you phone is backed up somewhere.  I have had 4 updates on my S4 without incident doing this. My phone is almost stock except for four installed non performance apps.

The very best way to prepare for an update is to do a factory reset prior to the download. That is not a very popular plan as most people don't cherish the thought of setting up their phone again, but then having a phone with lots of problems for many months without a cure is really sucky.

[ALLEYCATS]

Why don't we start a GRASS ROOTS Demand to be able to control the fate of our phones.

I RESENT having these updates FORCED on us by VZW and Samsung.

I RESENT being a Guinea pig for their programming faults.

THe last update - I resisted for 4 weeks after hearing on the bulletin board of the nightmares encountered. (Do you know how many times I had to reject that message???

Went to SUPPORT and checked and was reassured that ALL of the issues had been fixed. Finally, allowed the update. It bricked my phone. The replacement phone had 2 major problems (could not hear the phone call and the battery would drain from 100% to 30 % IN THE MORNING!

FINALLY a new refurbished phone solved the problem AFTER HOW MANY HOURS OF MY TIME with Verizon level 1,2 and 3 and Samsung level 1 and 2 support??

These are OUR phones.

We should NOT have to receive and change our phone if it is working correctly unless we are CONVINCED that the update gives us an advantage AND WORKS!!!

We could be NOTIFIED that an update is available (Like the USED to do) and then update at OUR discretion when it was convenient.

This probably will be deleted by the monitors, But it did help me feel good to get it off of my chest.

Can someone MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE than I initiate the petition?

Thanks

[jrh4054]

ALLEYCATS,

I'll sign the petition TODAY!!

[jrh4054]

Klue,

Why should we have to do a reset and spend hours getting the phone back as it was just to do a system update??

[Snn5]

As Verizon sees it, it's their phone until you pay it off, finish the contract or pay the ETF.  But, I'm a huge fan of letting us control what is working for us and not allowing the updates to just automatically install or pester with notices until we do.  That said, these updates do a lot to secure Verizon's ownership of the device with security patches and bloatware updates to further control their device.